It wakes you up. It begins your day. After the third or fourth one, the day may come crashing down. Coffee breaks are a part of our societal makeup, the moments we relish in between sitting at a desk or in between the hustle. Sometimes we use them as social highlights and sometimes we use them for moments of solitude, finding reflection in the buttery finish. Sometimes, it gives us that one moment to think outside ourselves.

Such was the contemplative thoughts of one coffee drinker, sipping a Ginger latte in a Starbucks in Istanbul. It was a moment when Joel Carillet found the ironic divide between a worker’s wages and the price of a spilled cup of coffee. I guess once we become aware of things, it can be difficult to enjoy what was once a simple pleasure. It might make us uncomfortable, but through this discomfort we learn something about ourselves and life.

Being in Buenos Aires was difficult because good coffee hubs were few and far between. They had some Starbucks and such, but it was a long process of walking the streets in order to find some fresh roasted beans. I would walk for hours looking for a place for beans only to later discover that I was just in a weird head space. Looking back, I realize that the physical aspect of the walk allowed me to focus on something other than my thoughts. I don’t even remember the name of the place that I got the beans from and all I know is that I was drinking tasty coffee.

I love coffee. I have been drinking it for a very long time. I wouldn’t say that I have become addicted, but rather enjoy the nostalgia, socialization and heart palpitations that it brought. Over the years, I acquired a snobbish taste for it. I would indulge on one every morning in order to relish its flavor. Then, I woke up and realized the absurdity of my quest as a coffee connoisseur. At the end of the day, I realized that I enjoyed java whether it was drip or pressed. As long as it doesn’t have a nasty aftertaste, I drink it for its zingy buzz.

For some reason, that’s the message I got when reading Joel’s article about the economic disparity between the beans and brew. Discovering our motivations behind something can be a difficult thing to come to terms with, but at least we can change our actions from this process. Finding comfort in something can make the heart a little warmer, perhaps the nostalgia of something gives us a little boost. Personally, I think it’s all right to do the little things we need to do to feel better as long as we are mindful about it. Then, because of our awareness, something shifts and we wake up.

Toronto born and based, Brit is an avid leisure cyclist, coffee drinker and under-a-tree park-ist. She often finds herself meandering foreign cities looking for street eats to nibble, trees to climb, a patch of grass to sit on, or a small bookstore to sift through. You can find her musing life on her personal blog, TheBubblesAreDead.wordpress.com.